Adulteration: Poison mixed in conscience, not in mouth

On hearing the word adulteration, images of fake milk, peanuts mixed with stones, colour in tea leaves and dust in spices flash in the mind. But these images are not limited to the stomach. The biggest adulteration that is happening today is in our thinking, conscience and system. Along with every product sold in the market, our sensibilities, honesty and morality are also slowly getting polluted. And the funny thing is we have accepted this adulteration as so common that now when the real thing comes in front of us, we start getting suspicious.

- Dr. Satyawan Saurabh

Finding stones in peanuts is no longer a surprise. Pebbles in lentils, colour in peas, powder in salt and wax in ghee - all these have now become permanent members of life. From shopkeepers to big brands, everyone is involved in the blind race for profits. Everyone wants more profit at less cost, and the easiest way to do this is adulteration. Adulteration in intention, cheating in profit, and sacrifice of customer's health.

From the streets of the village to the noise of the city, everywhere is the same sad story. The red chillies in the pickle shine, but in reality it is the colour used to dye clothes. The foam in the milk is not the freshness of the dairy but the magic of detergent. And the greenery seen on the vegetables is not the result of nature but of chemicals. What we eat is not poisoning our body but slowly poisoning our soul.

There was a time when milk, ghee or grains would come from someone's house and would be accepted blindly. Today, even the sweets brought by relatives need to be checked - lest they are adulterated. In the market, "purity" is now just a branding tool, it has nothing to do with reality. Writing "100% pure" does not make things pure, but the consumer's eyes are blindfolded to such an extent that he does not even think.

Lead content in children's toffees, lime in flour, synthetic colours in turmeric - these are not just health issues, these are signs of moral degradation of the society. And the sad thing is that not only shopkeepers or companies are responsible for this adulteration, but also our tolerant society which remains silent